INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champ, stated Wednesday he’ll compete in IndyCar’s greatest race this Could earlier than retiring once more.

The 48-year-old from Brazil made the announcement on Twitter.

🇧🇷Tem sido uma jornada maravilhosa, mas ainda não acabou. Espero vcs para a última em Maio.
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🇺🇸 Let’s do that one final time. See you all in Could.@ArrowMcLaren @IndyCar pic.twitter.com/lC1iY4GhT0

— Tony Kanaan (@TonyKanaan) February 15, 2023

He’s scheduled to look at a information convention in Indianapolis later Wednesday as a part of the 100-day countdown to this yr’s 500. The race is Could 28.

“It has been a beautiful unimaginable journey, however it’s not completed but,” he stated in a video shot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway because the spotlight calls fade away. “I’ll nonetheless have the pleasure to drive via the bricks one final time. Thanks all and I will see you on race day.”

For one of many collection’ hottest, most profitable and longest-tenured drivers, that is turning into a part of an annual ritual.

He first introduced that 2020 can be his final “Final Lap” season as collection officers created a particular brand for his five-race farewell tour. However when the COVID-19 pandemic pressured the five hundred to be moved from Could till August after which ran with no followers within the seats, Kanaan did not suppose it was the correct method to say goodbye.

So he returned in 2021 after which in January 2022 introduced he would return once more that season, too, this time as a teammate of seven-time Cup champ Jimmie Johnson on the powerhouse Chip Ganassi Racing workforce.

Whereas Johnson completed twenty eighth in his first 500, at age 46, Kanaan revved up the gang by qualifying sixth, ending third and refiring his hopes of coming again as soon as extra in 2023.

Arrow McLaren SP, a rival of Ganassi’s workforce, offered that chance by signing Kanaan for this yr’s 500 whereas additionally including longtime Ganassi sponsor NTT Information to Kanaan’s automobile. He’ll be on a four-car workforce stuffed with profitable drivers — 2015 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, 2020 collection runner-up Pato O’Ward of Mexico and Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist, who was fourth in final yr’s 500.

And now, Kanaan, will get one other alternative to hitch the two-time winner’s membership on the Brickyard’s well-known 2.5-mile oval.

“I really feel extraordinarily fortunate to get one other shot racing within the Indy 500,” Kanaan stated in November. “I am excited to work with Pato, Felix and Alexander and race with the Arrow McLaren SP workforce. My greatest battle in final yr’s race was towards these three drivers, so working with them and driving with them might be thrilling for all of us.”

Kanaan turned the primary IndyCar driver to finish each lap of each race throughout his series-championship successful 2004 season, began a report 318 consecutive races and gained 17 instances, tied for twenty sixth all-time.